2 day Introduction to Guiding Mindfulness

Mindfulness Teacher Training Certificate Course based on the latest research and techniques on teaching mindfulness

As the benefits from Mindfulness practices are becoming more widely recognised and known, there is now a growing demand in schools and work places for Mindfulness training and trained Mindfulness facilitators. This is an opportunity for everyone, including teachers social workers and human resource persons, who can see the value of attention training and mindfulness exercises, to develop the skills to help others improve focus, mental resilience and impulse control.

In this 2 day certificate course you will not only be introduced to and learn the the powerful Mindfulness techniques that are helping individuals from all walks of life to have more balance and focus in their lives. You will also receive the tools and training to teach these techniques to anyone around you, including students and children.

Proven & Successful Methods

Mindfulness can’t be learnt by talking or reading about it. Mindfulness is experiential. To be able to teach mindfulness you need to understand how it works from the inside out.

The course gives you the background, science, practices and techniques to teach/guide others and to establish a regular practice yourself.

The course is based on the successful programme Mindful NZ Schools has been running the past three years as well as latest research and techniques on teaching mindfulness designed by the original MBSR members
who trained with Jon Kabat-Zinn.

This is an interactive course covering theory, activities and practices. You will have the opportunity to deepen your contact with your natural intelligence and intuition, be empowered by the discovery that you can self-manage your thoughts and emotions. Participants also get the chance to guide classes for first-hand experience.

Full Documentation

In these 2 days we will cover so much ground and learn so many things that it would be almost impossible to remember it all afterwards but the best thing is that you don’t need to. You will get printed (or digital if you prefer) documentation on all aspects of what we learnt in the course.For example:

Templates on how to build dynamic and engaging lessons for children and adults.

A Mindfulness Facilitator Manual with key points for guiding and leading mindfulness sessions with inspiring and pedagogical tips on how to use language, your own authenticity and natural authority, to create a space where Mindfulness can ‘happen’ rather than ‘telling’ people what to do.

Example scripts that you can use as a starting point when you build your own lessons.

In Short-What will you learn?

This training will give you a resource to improve everyone’s, including students and children’s ability to deal with stress and anxiety as well as improve attention and focus and cultivate kindness and empathy. Activities and practices will be taught to help engage students in the mindfulness process and assist in internalising the mindfulness process.

Why should we teach Mindfulness to students and children?
Studies have shown that emotional regulation, social behaviour and academic achievement have noticeably improved for those who have received Mindfulness instructions.

ABOUT THE TEACHER

The course is held by Rita Riccola She is a registered NZ teacher and has been a Meditation and yoga practitioner for 25 years. She has completed courses with Mindful Schools USA. More recently she has been training teachers at Diocesan and Dilworth Junior College in Mindfulness to assist them in their effort to take the practices to their students.

“Rita is a fabulous facilitator – she made us feel extremely comfortable, was open-minded and encouraged us all to share from our diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. I came away with many very practical, easy to use exercises that I have since been using with with my classes of various ages. Thank you Rita for gifting me such a wonderful and enjoyable afternoon of learning”-Louise Dore, participant, Auckland

Course Content – Day 1 & 2

What is Mindfulness?

How does it work?
Evidence-based research results
and the neuroscience.

Why Teach Mindfulness to Students and Children.

Breathing Exercise 1 and 2

Guided Body Scan

The STOP Method

How to build a MIndfulness Lesson

Tools & Resources

How to identifying patterns of thinking and reacting that keep us trapped.

Practical ways to work with Difficult Thoughts and Emotions.

Turning boredom and restlessness into curiosity

Mindful Listening-expanded awareness.

The ‘Mountain meditation’

Training Session – Teaching Mindfulness

Questions and Answers, feedback/personal Enquiry into your own experience

Mindfulness can’t be learnt by talking or reading about it. Mindfulness is
experiential. To be able to teach mindfulness you need to understand how
it works from the inside out. Teaching mindfulness is more about guiding
people to their own mindfulness practice. It’s about co-creating an
environment where mindfulness can ‘happen’

What do you get from this Course?

Guidance given by experienced mindfulness trainer

The opportunity to learn in a safe, relaxed environment with a beginner group.

Learning simple practices to help students and children to relax the body, eliminate stress, calm the mind

Be empowered by the discovery that you can self-manage your thoughts and emotions

Deepen your contact with your natural intelligence and intuition.

How to build mindfulness lessons that is accessible for children of all ages

Written 8 weeeks lesson plans and practices including powerpoint and audio links

The Mindfulness Teacher Training 2 day workshop
delivered some excellent material and provided
participants with some definitive tools to enable them to
develop their own teaching programs around.
Rita’s knowledge and inclusive manner of facilitating made
for an enjoyable experience.Errol Alison, participant

“ I’ve learnt that you can choose to change. The interaction between participants was especially valuable”
– Jen, Sydney

“Rita is a fabulous facilitator – she made us feel extremely comfortable, was open minded and encouraged us all to share from our diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. I came away with many very practical, easy to use exercises that I have since been using with with my classes of various ages. Thank you Rita for gifting me such a wonderful and enjoyable afternoon of learning”.-Louise Dore, Auckland

“I found Rita’s expert and gentle facilitating a wonderful way to explore mindfulness personally, whilst also guiding me to share mindfulness with others”. -Suzanne Henwood, Auckland

“The Mindfulness Teacher Training 2 day workshop delivered some excellent material and provided participants with some definitive tools to enable them to develop their own teaching programs around. Rita’s knowledge and inclusive manner of facilitating made for an enjoyable experience”.-Errol Alison, Wellington

“What I liked best about the course was the practical nature and the openness to ask questions”-Wendy, Sydney

“With Mindfulness training you are not adding to your knowledge in the
traditional sense – you are in fact removing some of the mental clutter
that is holding you back from being naturally mindful and in a state of
equilibrium”.Rita Riccola

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MINDFULNESS?

Mindfulness is a natural state of being human yet in our increasingly distracting
and fragmented world we now ‘teach’ mindfulness to re-empower
people with their own natural ability to restore the fragmented mind
to a state of wholeness and presence and to come in contact with the
calmness and stillness beneath the often, over-burdened mind.

HOW DOES MINDFULNESS WORK?

“Practicing Mindfulness has been shown to alter the structure and function of the brain, which is what allows us to learn, acquire new abilities, and improve memory.” DR. ROMIE MUSHTAQ

Mindfulness trains the mind to be observant and responsive to the many challenges we face every day.

Harvard, Oxford and Stanford Universities offer Mindfulness courses. Mindfulness is not just a trend but a proven method for success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mindfulness means “paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn. (Founder of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction)

Mindfulness is a way of noticing where your attention is in the present moment without judging it good or bad. It’s about not wandering off into an imagined future or going over the past but fully engaging right here right now.

The ability to focus on one thing at a time is a skill and requires practice. Just as athletes train on a daily basis to maintain fitness and stamina, Mindfulness, which is a mental training, requires regular daily practice to experience the many well documented benefits especially of de-stressing, relaxing the body and generally self-managing in a new and empowering way.

Through guided, simple easy-to-do practisies you are training the mind to be more present in the moment. resulting in it to be less anxious, more alert and alive.

Current research tells us 20 minutes a day is required to achieve lasting benefits. This can be broken into two 10 minutes sessions-easily do-able when you experience the inner calm and rest from the robotic mind.

You will slowly (sometimes quickly) begin to experience a lightness of being, less anxiety, better sleep, easier communications and a general improved sense of well-being and have more energy. These are not empty promises but almost guaranteed if you follow the instructions, do the practices regularly and begin to live more Mindfully.

Meditation and Mindfulness are very similar the only difference being that Meditation takes many more forms;chanting, mantras as well as breathing and visualisations however Mindfulness meditation is a specific set of exercises that focus exclusively on the five senses.

Many places that run Mindfulness courses do so on a donation basis and are connected to spiritual centers. Mindfulness in New Zealand is an independent group and the trainers pay to live just like everyone else. Everybody needs to be paid for their effort as well as the cost of hiring venues and paying advertising to let people know the courses exist.

NON RELIGIOUS

There is no religion, dogma or beliefs attached to Mindfulness. Mindfulness has it’s roots in many contemplative practices but doesn’t require or impose on anyones belief systems. It’s a mental activity that has proven to be of great benefit for maintaining physical, mental and emotional balance.

The many benefits of Mindfulness have been well documented especially in the past 30 years since Jon Kabat-Zinn established the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction programme that has led to the wide-spread, evidence based research and the acceptance of these non-religious, practical exercises anyone can do.

Mindfulness practice doesn’t require any preparation or beforehand knowledge about meditation. Anyone can experience the effect from these simple exercises.